The mailbox

French almond tea cake

Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 45 minutes Serves 8

Elsie Nakamoto of Sacramento enjoyed the almond tea cake made at the now-closed Cramer's Bakery. She said this delicious 8-inch, single-layer cake had sliced almonds and a glaze on top. She was hoping for the recipe.

We haven't received Cramer's recipe, but Ruth Marshall of Diamond Springs shares a recipe that sounds like it could be a match.

Ingredients

 1/4 pound butter, softened

 1/2 cup sugar

 3/4 cups almonds

 1/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon rum, Kirsch or vanilla extract

 1/8 teaspoon almond extract

 1/2 cup sifted cake flour

Topping:

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons warm water

 1/8 teaspoon almond extract, optional

 1/3 cup sliced almonds

Instructions

Cream butter and  1/2 cup sugar together in a medium bowl. Set aside. Place almonds and  1/4 cup sugar in a blender and pulverize. Add to butter mixture and beat one minute. Add eggs, one at a time, blend well. Add baking powder and flavorings. Gently fold in flour, one tablespoon at a time. Pour batter into a greased and floured 8-inch cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.

For topping: Make a glaze by stirring the powdered sugar with warm water until the sugar dissolves completely and the icing is smooth. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it is too thick, add more warm water; if too thin, add a little sugar. Add almond extract, if using, and stir well. Drizzle at once over almond cake. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Per serving: 390 cal.; 6 g pro.; 43 g carb.; 22 g fat (9 sat., 10 monounsat., 3 polyunsat.); 111 mg chol.; 88 mg sod.; 2 g fiber; 33 g sugar; 50 percent calories from fat.

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Rice stuffing

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Serves 4 to 6

Mike Bradburn of Chester lost his rice stuffing recipe, which included walnuts and apples.

Nancy Butler, also of Chester, shares a recipe that she has used for years. She sometimes substitutes brown rice for the white rice and serves it at her Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

Ingredients

1 cup dry long-grain rice, cooked tender

1 medium onion, diced

 1/4 cup slivered almonds or chopped walnuts

 1/4 cup raisins

 3/4 cup chopped apple

 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

 1/4 teaspoon ginger

2 tablespoons butter (not margarine)

1 small can water chestnuts, optional

Instructions

Lightly sauté onion, almonds or walnuts, raisins, apple and spices in butter. Mix with rice and water chestnuts, if using. Serve.

Per serving based on 6 servings without water chestnuts: 189 cal.; 3 g pro.; 29 g carb.; 7 g fat (3 sat., 3 monounsat., 1 polyunsat.); 10 mg chol.; 3 mg sod.; 2 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 32 percent calories from fat.

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Fat-free honey mustard sauce

Prep time: 5 minutes Makes about  3/4 cup

Amy Ross of Mather was looking for a low-fat or fat-free honey-mustard dressing.

Dave Mandeville of Woodland shares this recipe, which may be close to what Ross is looking for.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Heinz mustard

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon honey

8 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise

Instructions

Mix mustard, sugar and honey together. Add the mayonnaise. Blend well and serve.

Per tablespoon: 18 cal.; 0 g pro.; 5 g carb.; 0 g fat; 0 mg chol.; 98 mg sod.; 0 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 0 percent calories from fat.

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Knoepfle know-how

I am looking for a recipe for knoepfle. My 89-year-old mother remembers her mother of French- German descent making this for the family when she was a child. She remembers her mixing it up like a dough and cutting pieces off and dropping them into boiling water to cook. She has tried recipes for spaetzle and it is not the same. I have searched my library of cookbooks and the Internet to no avail. Can someone help?

-- Barbara Knapp, Rocklin

Where's Woody's?

I am trying to locate a barbecue sauce called Woody's Cook-in' Sauce. I've been to numerous markets in the Citrus Heights-Roseville area with no success. I don't care for the sweet sauces. I've used Woody's for years. If I had known that I had used my last jar, I would have saved it to see if I could order more. I even looked on the Internet but only found it referenced in a recipe. Does anyone know how I might locate more of this delicious sauce? I can't face the summer barbecue season without it! Thanks for any help.

-- Kerry Potter, Citrus Heights

Duke's stuffed chilies

Years ago, probably in the 1950s, someone published favorite recipes of the stars. John Wayne's was chilies rellenos. It was wonderful. Would anyone happen to have it?

-- Kim Scott, Sacramento

Celestin's bread pudding

Some years ago, my husband enjoyed the bread pudding at Celestin's Restaurant in downtown Sacramento. Sadly, it is no longer on their menu. It was a wonderfully smooth bread pudding with an interesting spice flavor. Does anyone have this recipe? Thank you.

-- Bobby Kohaya, Sacramento

Loves Lofthouse

I love the Lofthouse cookies that are sold at Bel Air, Safeway and Sam's Club. Does anyone have the recipe or one close? Thank you.

-- Terry Ference, Antelope

Her medley's missing

My all-time favorite spice blend is Schilling-McCormick Pepper Medley, which is no longer available. I bought a lot when it was being discontinued, but now I am running out. I'm trying to find a way to re- create it or find a place to buy a substitute. Thanks.

-- Kathryn Pierce, Sacramento

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If you have recipes in reply to Mailbox reader requests, or questions or comments, write to: Mailbox, c/o Taste, The Sacramento Bee, P.O. Box 15779, Sacramento, CA 95852. You also can e-mail twatson@sacbee.com or fax (916-556-5625). Please include your full name, your city and phone number.

Mailbox columnist Teri Watson is a Sacramento home economist who has been a nutrition consultant and cooking instructor for 15 years. She is a member of the American Association of Family and Consumer Science.